A/N: Hi everyone! Thanks to LittleMoutainofLight and akaccino, the only two who reviewed, this chapter is dedicated to you because all my other reviewers are GONE! Thank you guys!
Disclaimer: The plot it mine, but not the characters, they are JKR's. The song isn't mine either, it is Fireflight's. And remember, I never mean to glamorize self-injury, because it isn't glamorous… at all.
Look at all the lonely hearts
Shivering out in the dark
Hiding from the truth,
Cover up the proof
Demons that I've tried to hide
Imprison me in my own lies
And all that I can do is cover up the proof
Don't be afraid to…
Stand
up!
Stand up when you're broken
Stand up!
Stand up if you feel ashamed
You are not alone when you hurt this way
Stand
up!
Stand up if you need love
Stand up!
This is not judgment day
You don't have to hide
There's no need to run
Everything will be okay
Secrets got me torn apart
Trying to destroy my heart
But I can see the light
It's cutting through the night
Don't run away
(Don't run away)
Don't be afraid to stand up!
This is not judgment day
You don't have to hide
There's no need to run
Everything will be okay
You say you love me
That's all I'll ever nee
If you say I'm good enough,
That's good enough for me
Stand up-- Fireflight
Recap: "Now, what did you all want?" Ginny asked, sitting down in an armchair.
"Well see Ginny, we got Terry's side of the story, now we think it's time to hear yours." I said, sitting down also.
"My-my side of the story? What story is this?" Ginny lied, looking shocked.
"You know what we're talking about. Terry told us what he told you and what you did but we want to hear it from you." I said unflinchingly. I somehow knew that this wasn't going to be pretty.
"I… fine. He came to me one day and asked me if I was Ginny Weasley." Ginny began, looking at her knees. "So I told him I was and then asked what he wanted, but he didn't answer. Instead he asked me if I was your friend," She looked pointedly at me before returning to staring at her knees. "So I said yes, we were friends… and he said 'well then, I know something I think you will want to hear.' So he told me- he told me that you guys were friends-" Ron scoffed slightly when she said this. "-and that he knew something about you that no one else did. I told him I didn't want to hear it, if you wanted me to know, you would have told me. Then he told me, it could be a matter of life-and-death. I didn't believe him, but then he told me he was serious, and asked me if I was willing to risk your life. Of course, I said no… so I let him tell me. He said "'I know this may be hard for you to hear but, you're friend Hermione, she cuts herself. She's ended up in the hospital twice because of it. I walked in on her doing it. I thought you should know.' And I slapped him. I didn't believe him of course, so I left.
"Then, the next day, at breakfast… he came to me and he told me the 'signs'. He pointed out how depressed you were, how much you used the restroom- he told me this was when you cut- and how you always wore long-sleeves and seemed so defensive. You have to understand, Hermione," She said, looking pleadingly into my eyes now. "He had all the facts, all the evidence! I really thought maybe he was telling the truth!"
"So that's why you were acting so odd?" Ron asked, staring at Ginny intently.
"Yes, that was why. I know I shouldn't have and I know I acted like a bitch but-"
"Ginny!" I exclaimed, scolding her for her language.
"What? Oh, right, sorry. But anyway, you have to understand that I was worried! I didn't know what was true anymore and I didn't know how to act around you so I just tried to get rid of the problem by ignoring it but it didn't work!
"Before I knew it, Terry and I seemed to be friends, even though I didn't like him-" Ron smiled a bit when she said this. "-but we started hanging out, and as the days went by, I believed him more and more. He made it seem so real. But then he told me that he had talked to you. And by that time, I had noticed that he was bugging you, so I thought he made you 'worse' or whatever so I yelled at him… that's when you came in. I assume you two know everything?" She asked Harry and Ron, rather out of breath from her explanation.
"Yeah. We both know." Harry said, nodding.
"Oh okay. Well Hermione, I'm so sorry I believed him. I think now that it was just a whole plan to get back at you after you stopped being his friend- good idea with that too, I can understand why you didn't want to hang out with him- and now I know that I shouldn't believe him. I never should have, I'm sorry." She apologized sincerely. She obviously thought what Terry had said was totally untrue now. I figured I should put things straight.
"Thank you, Ginny… but Terry was right. I do… hurt myself. I'm sure he blew it way out of proportion but I do self-harm. I'm sorry you had to find out that way. Really, it must have been hard." I said, looking Ginny directly in the eye.
"You what? No… no, Hermione, he was lying. He had to be. Why would you ever do that to yourself? You're so great! Why would you want to?" Ginny asked, raising her voice and jumping out of her chair.
"Because, Ginny, some things I've dealt with have been hard and I didn't know how to cope so I started hurting myself! I know it shouldn't be that way, but it is! You can't change that and you can't deny it! I'm sorry… but that's the way it is." I said, also standing up. Harry and Ron both watched, ready to come to my defense if needed.
"You shouldn't do it! You don't deserve that, you deserve so much more! Hermione, don't do this to yourself, you know it's wrong!" Ginny yelled angrily, getting louder.
"Whoa! Gin, calm down. Getting mad won't do anything, just sit down and listen to what Hermione has to say!" Ron said, jumping up and grabbing his sister's arm, gently pushing her back into her chair. "Hermione, you feel like explaining everything again?" Ron asked, sitting back down next to me.
"Fine. Okay, Gin, here goes…"
After explaining everything for the second time that day, Ginny didn't seem as angry. In fact, she seemed to understand.
"I guess- I guess that makes sense." She said, after I finished telling her everything. "But I can't believe Terry! How could he go and do something like that when it's obvious you needed comfort! I swear, if I had known I would have kicked his arse to the Bahamas and back!" Ginny said, firing up once again.
Ron, Harry and I each grinned at each other before Harry stepped in and told Ginny that he had had the honors of doing that earlier.
"Did you really now?" Ginny asked, looking thrilled.
"Yes he did, I was there." I said, smiling a bit. It felt wonderful to know that my three best friends knew my secret.
Just then, a 2nd year came up to us. "Are you Hermione Granger?" He asked shyly.
"Yes I am." I said, looking curiously at the letter he had clutched in his hand.
"This is for you, from Professor Dumbledore." He said, before scurrying off.
"I wonder what he could want." I said absentmindedly, opening the letter and reading it aloud.
Miss Granger,
I would greatly appreciate it if you, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, and Miss Weasley would do me the favor of visiting my office as soon as you get this letter. There are a few things I'd like to discuss with all of you alone. I cannot tell you in this letter, but it is a very serious matter that needs to be discussed immediately.
Hope to see you soon,
Prof. Dumbledore
P.S. Have you tried Cockroach Clusters? They are delightful.
"Cockroach Clusters? He really has gone batty." Ron said.
"No, Ron. That must be the password to get in or something." Harry said, rolling his eyes at Ron.
"Well. Let's go then." Ginny said, standing up, along with the rest of us.
Once we got seated in his office, Dumbledore surveyed us over the rim of his spectacles.
"Do any of you have an idea on why you may have gotten called here?" Dumbledore asked us, not unkindly.
"No sir." We all said at once.
"Ah, well. It has to do with a rather serious subject, I'm afraid to say. Miss Granger," He said, turning to me. "You have been struggling with some things lately, yes?" He asked me.
What? Did he find out? From who? …Terry! I swear to Merlin, hasn't he gotten enough pleasure from the pain he's put me through already? I shrieked in my head.
"Erm… yes sir." I said, staring resolutely at me knees.
"Yes, a student, who shall remain anonymous, came to be, not even an hour ago, and told me that you have been struggling with a problem. He, the student, also said that Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, and Miss Weasley knew of this. Is that true?" He asked, looking at Harry, Ron and Ginny.
"Erm…" Ron said, looking at me for the go-ahead that it was okay to admit it. I nodded, letting him know it was okay. "Yeah… we know." He said.
"Miss Granger," He said, turning back to me. "I have informed all of your teachers of this so that you may get out of class if you are not feeling well enough to go. We trust you enough to know you will not take advantage of this." He said, eyeing me strictly. "Am I right to place my trust in you?"
"Y-yes sir. I won't disappoint you." I said quietly, still in shock that, not only Dumbledore knew, but all my teachers knew.
"I'm glad to hear it. You three will help her, yes?" He asked, looking at the others.
"Definitely, sir." Ginny spoke up.
"Good. And also, Miss Granger, Madam Pomfrey will be happy to help you if ever need be. I find she is a wonderful listener and she can do a world of good. Take care of yourself now." He said, signaling us that it was time to go.
"I can't believe he told!" I said angrily, once we were down the steps out of his office. "He had no right to do that!"
"Are you talking about Terry or Dumbledore?" Harry asked, looking sheepish.
"Both! Neither of them should have told! Not that that would stop Terry but Dumbledore shouldn't have told either!" I said, outraged.
"How do you even know it was Terry? It could have been anyone." Ron said stupidly. Ginny, Harry and I all gave him skeptical looks.
"And who else knows about it, Ronald? No one." I said, stating the obvious.
"Oh yeah… right." Ron said, blushing slightly.
"Well look who it is. Dumbledore tell you the great news?" Came an annoying voice.
"What, Terry? Just can't leave her alone? Are you like a psycho stalker or something?" Harry demands of Terry, stepping closer to him.
"What? Don't like your girlfriend to know any other guys? Are you that insecure?" Terry taunted Harry.
"Why don't you back off?" Ron asked, glaring menacingly at Terry.
"Maybe because I don't really feel like it." Terry said unflinchingly.
"Well you're going to regret that!" Ginny said, drawing her wand and pointing it right at Terry.
"Oh will I now?" Terry asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.
"Yeah, you will." Ron said, advancing on him. "So you thought you could get away with telling, did ya? Think again, you bastard!" Ron said, swinging his fist directly into Terry's face.
"RON!" I screamed, trying to stop him, but it was too late.
"Don't, Hermione! He had it coming!" Ron said, staring at Terry, who was laying on the ground, trying to stop the blood that was pouring out of his nose.
"Don't mess with her, ever again, understand?" Ron said, grabbing my elbow and walking away, Harry and Ginny following closely behind.
"Ron, was that necessary?" I asked as we hurried down the hall, him still gripping me arm.
"Yes, it was. Don't even try to tell me he didn't deserve it, you know he did." Ron said, not looking at me.
"Yes but still, violence isn't the answer." I reprimanded.
"And what would you have me do? Tell him his behavior was inappropriate and annoying? Somehow, I don't think that would have worked."
"Yeah… but still." I said, not able to find the words to explain my opinion to him.
"Hey Hermione?" Ginny asked, falling in step next to me and Ron.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Can I have a word? Alone?" She said, looking at Harry and Ron.
"Yeah sure, see you guys later." I said, and following Ginny into a deserted classroom.
"Listen Hermione, I just wanted to apologize again for the way I acted. I know I was a jerk and you didn't deserve it. And I'm sorry I got mad when you told me, I really do understand where you're coming from."
"Thank you, Ginny. That means a lot to me." I said, smiling at her.
"But… I have to ask… I know you started last year around the time that Ron started going out with Lavender, did that have anything to do with your decision? I get it if you don't want to tell me, but-"
"No, it's fine." I interrupted her rambling. "It-it just pushed me off the edge, you know? I had been under a lot of stress and that was just the last thing I could handle. Come on, Ginny, you know how I feel about him. It's not like it wasn't going to affect me. You understand right?" I asked her.
"Yes, of course I understand. I'll listen when you need to talk, okay? About anything." She said, putting her hand on my arm.
"Thank you. And please don't tell Ron about how much it affected me… I don't want him to feel guilty."
"I wouldn't dream of it. Now come on, let's go get something to eat, all this new knowledge has made me starving!" Ginny said, giggling.
And so we both headed down towards the Great Hall, talking lightly about anything and everything. I was just glad that my best girlfriend now knew everything I'd been through. It's great being friends with Harry and Ron, but there are just some things you need a girl to talk with.
A/N: I know it's a bit short, and I'm sorry, but I couldn't much else with it. I hope to have the next one out soon. I'm sure you can tell by now that things are starting to end but there'll be several more chapters still to come. And I'm terrible at writing Dumbledore, so please forgive that part. Please, please review! It inspires me!